I am not sure when exactly Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables introduced me to the character of Anne Shirley. She was always just there, a ubiquitous part of my life as an Atlantic Canadian. I do remember visiting, at eight years old, what is now known as Green Gables Heritage Place in Prince Edward Island, the farm that served as the setting for the novels. It’s possible I knew Anne’s story before I posed for a photo in front of the Green Gables house, resplendent with brilliant white shingles and its iconic green trim—but, if not, I definitely knew it afterward. Life as I know it started the day of that snapshot. In the photo, I have my large, cuddly doll, Kelly, snugly zipped into my jacket with me. My thick black hair is cropped into a mullet. I remember exactly how the air ...